Technology Use Plan

1. Technology Use Plan Middle School by Annie Sheffield

2. Rational • Determine what technical tools and practices would best help students learn and teachers teach.

3. Planning Team • Principal • Superintendent • Educational technologist • Teachers (one per subject) • Interested parents • Financial secretary

4. Process Description • Organize planning team • Research • Construct plan • Create the technology use plan document • Implement, evaluate, and revise (Source: Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan, Version 2.0,by Graduate Students at Mississippi State University. Found at www.nctp.com)

5. Process DescriptionStep 1 - Organize Planning Team • Divide the planning team into five specialty research and implementation Pods • TI (technology integration) • TT (technology tools) • TS (technology support) • Budg (budget) • RE (research and evaluation)

6. TI - Technology Integration Pod • Find research and examples which show how technology has improved teaching and learning. • Create a general technology integration curriculum that can be easily adapted for use by all teachers. • Plan professional development opportunities to educate teachers about using and adapting the technology integration curriculum.

7. TT - Technology Tools Pod • Gather information about a wide variety of technology tools for possible purchase/use. • Give the TI (technology integration) Pod suggestions for possible technology tools (ex. cutting edge software/hardware). • Work with the TI Pod to find tools that would fit appropriately with the technology integration plan.

8. TS – Technology Support Pod • Find resources (ex. people, documents) that would aid teachers in solving problems related to new technology. • Create a technology support plan to direct staff and students to appropriate people or information when problems arise. • Plan professional development events to teach staff how to use new equipment.

9. Budg – Budget Pod • Apply for grants and donations. • Identify how specific technologies can cut costs. • Create a budget for new technology tools. • Work with the Planning Team to create a purchase timeline.

10. RE – Research and Evaluation Pod • Distribute and collect Needs Assessments surveys • Create and distribute a research and evaluation tool for teachers and others to identify any changes brought by new technology tools. • Prepare a professional development event to teach how to adapt and use the evaluation and research tool. • Periodically collect and analyze the results of teachers’ research and evaluations.

11. Pod Leaders

12. Process Description Step 2 – Initial Research • Administer Needs Assessment surveys and evaluate the results. (Surveys on RE task description slide)

13. Process DescriptionStep 3 – Construct Plan • Once Specialty Pods have done initial research, meet together to share findings and revise tasks. • Specialty Pods continue working on tasks and meet together as a Planning Team until the team feels it has made the optimal compromises and arrangements to put the plan into practice.

14. Process DescriptionStep 4 – Create the Technology Use Plan Document • The educational technologist will gather written findings and agreements and choreograph these into a written plan.

15. Process DescriptionStep 5 – Implement, Evaluate, and Revise • Staff will use active research techniques (identified by the RE Pod) to continually implement, evaluate, and revise the Technology Use Plan

16. Vision Statement • Use technology to improve • student interest in learning • understanding of material • presentation of material

17. Plan Goals • Create a plan for effectively integrating technology in day-to-day teaching. • Design a technology support system to troubleshoot technology problems. • Create a structure for ongoing research and evaluation of technology equipment and teaching techniques. • Plan professional development in technology issues.

18. Needs Assessment • Administration Survey (school-wide) • Access to technology for educators and students • Professional development opportunities • Technical assistance • Teacher Survey • Educator’s technology background • Student-centered learning

19. Staff Development • Regular technology integration seminars (taught by the TI Pod) • Conferences (identified and selected by TI Pod) • Sufficient (as determined by RE Pod) action research seminars (taught by RE Pod) • New equipment instruction seminars (planned by TS Pod)

20. Evaluation and Research • When a new technology tool is implemented, the corresponding staff member will pair with a “control” staff member who is not using the new tool. • Both staff members will fill out the Research and Evaluation Plan (designed by the RE Pod) and return it to the RE Pod. • The RE Pod will analyze the Research and Evaluation Plans and report to the Planning Team.

21. Timeline • January • TI Pod will find research and examples which show how technology has improved teaching and learning. • TT Pod will gather information about a wide variety of technology tools for possible purchase/use. • TS Pod will find resources (ex. people, documents) that would aid teachers in solving problems related to new technology. • Budg Pod will apply for grants and donations. • RE Pod will distribute and collect Needs Assessments surveys.

22. Timeline (cont.) • February – March • TI Pod will create a general technology integration curriculum that can be easily adapted for use by all teachers. • TT Pod will give the TI (technology integration) Pod suggestions for possible technology tools (ex. cutting edge software/hardware). • TS Pod will create a technology support plan to direct staff and students to appropriate people or information when problems arise. • Budg Pod will identify how specific technologies can cut costs, and create a budget for new technology tools. • RE Pod will create and distribute a research and evaluation tool for teachers and others to identify any changes brought by new technology tools.

23. Timeline (cont.) • April – May • TI Pod will plan professional development opportunities to educate teachers about using and adapting the technology integration curriculum. • TT Pod will work with the TI Pod to find tools that would fit appropriately with the technology integration plan. • TS Pod will plan professional development events to teach staff how to use new equipment. • Budg Pod will create a budget for new technology tools, and work with the Planning Team to crate a purchase timeline. • RE Pod will prepare a professional development event to teach how to adapt and use the evaluation and research tool. • Educational technologist will gather written findings and agreements made by the Planning Team and choreograph these into a written plan.

24. Timeline (cont.) • September – June • RE Pod will periodically collect and analyze the results of teachers’ research and evaluations. • All pods will continue to stay current on their area of specialty. • The Planning Team will continue to implement, evaluate, and revise the Technology Use Plan